brrr…it’s finally winter.  i keep complaining because it was so warm for so long!  since i’m back from florida and the cold weather seems like it’s here to stay, i thought i should get into the winter spirit and venture out to do some cold weather activities.  i’m embracing winter now!  lol

we try to make it out to perfect north slopes each year.  josh is a snowbird.  he grew up skiing down the slopes in his homestate of vermont.  all we have to offer him here is perfect north, so it’ll have to do.  we usually go snow tubing at night.  i don’t know why but it just seems like it’s more fun that way.  if you’ve got little ones, or just aren’t interested in all of the work it takes to snowboard or ski, i highly recommend the fun tubing area!

over the weekend my assistant, kaitlin went to perfect north slopes to celebrate her 21st birthday! she wanted to go snowboarding, even though she is a beginner, and brought along a friend to help her learn. she said even though she fell a couple (or a lot) of times, it was still the most fun she’s had in a while! i haven’t been skiing since the one time i tried when i was 14, but listening to her stories about the great time she had makes me want to hit the slopes and give it another try!  she said they have a huge staff of workers there to help you master the hills, as well as equipment to rent if you don’t have your own.  i always have the lodge to sit and read if i just plain suck!

want to see the slopes or look at how much fun people of all ages have at perfect north?  take a look at their photo gallery!

if all of this snow talk is giving you the winter blues, i have some good news.  check out this article regarding deeply discounted tickets to kings island.  i’m gonna’ get me some of those for sure!

i hope you all have a great weekend.

it’s time to say goodbye to 2011.  it was a great year here at big shots.  here are some of the highlights:

i became more involved in causes i feel passionate about that let me use my photography to do some good in this world.  i shot backstage on onstage for fashion for the cure at sycamore high school, photographed the “relay for life” event for the second year, and spent my 5th year volunteering to take and print on the spot candids for the bikers at ride cincinnati. cancer has affected too many people in my life for me not to be involved.  it’s something i’m passionate about and feel fortunate to be able to contribute.

i had my first out of town sessions in 2011.  my first was in israel with a girl and her baby boy in the old city of jerusalem.  how cool is that?  it was surreal! i went on this trip to study and travel.  it was the first time i’d returned to israel since i lived there in 1993!  i was approached to do a session and couldn’t refuse!  i only had my backup camera with me on the trip but it did the trick just fine.  my second out of town sessions just happened a few weeks ago.  my family and i went to naples, florida for some MUCH needed r&r.  we met up with some friends down there for beach sessions.  here’s a preview of one of many i’ll be posting soon so keep a look out and have your sunglasses handy because it was hot and sunny!

i hired an amazing assistant, kaitlin, who has made my job so much more enjoyable in so many ways.  not only has she taken a lot off my plate, she is a pleasure to have around.  we have a good time together whether it’s coming up with ideas or asking siri on my iphone ridiculous questions!  some of you have met her but for those who haven’t, i’ll be shooting a session of kaitlin soon so you’ll be able to see her awesomeness for yourself.

i bought an imac and an ipad to go along with my mac book pro and iphone.  i think apple and i have a good thing going!  on the topic of technology, i also had a projector installed with a kick a#% drop down screen and lighting system that is all controlled by my ipad.  i am not tech savvy but i sure look like i am!  all of these things are not only cool but really help my business be more efficient and client friendly.

the senior model program is growing and changing each year.  this year was my best so far.  i had an amazing team of juniors who worked hard to spread the word about big shots.  along with free sessions, many incentives were given out to reward the girls for a job well done.  one even earned an ipad and lots of cash!  i can’t wait to start recruiting for the class of 2012′s model team!

while i love shooting seniors, i can’t keep my hands off those babies.  luckily, i was given lots of opportunities this past year.  the baby plan is a big success!  i get to follow babies for their first year while parents get to document this important time in their child’s life.  it’s a win-win!  thanks to all the mommys and daddys who trusted me with their little ones.

i continue to drive around this awesome city (yes…i think it’s awesome) to find new, exciting and beautiful locations.  like i always say, cincinnati is my studio!  i look forward to this new year filled with new and old clients excited to explore with me!  for now, let’s take a look at sessions from 2011 as we say goodbye to last year…

i’m so excited to announce my partnership with Little Lords and Ladies Boutique and its’ owner, Starla. you’ll find my image on the wall along with all of the other amazing things the store has to see!  i think this is a great partnership since I have so many clients with babies/young children who would look adorable in any of the items the store offers. i’ll be updating you on the “goings on” at the store; such as trunk shows and other special events. Starla and I will also be having mini photo sessions throughout the year.

i have to tell you about my experience with Starla and Little Lords and Ladies. i was so excited when i entered Little Lords & Ladies.  Starla, was so warm and friendly.  i’ve told her many times how approachable she is. having that as a trait is a definite bonus when working with parents, grandparents, and children.

Starla acquired Little Liza Janes in the fall of 2010. her experience and education is in business management but she has always desired having her own business.  when she found Little Liza Janes, she knew it was the perfect fit! while the store still has the same upscale feel as it previously did, she’s made some changes.  the name is now Little Lords & Ladies Children’s Boutique in order to reflect the fact that they carry boy’s apparel and gifts in addition to girl’s items.  another inspiration for the name change is Starla’s love of the renaissance era, which is reflected in the new whimsical décor featuring castles, dragons, wizards and magical creatures.

Starla’s vision is to provide quality, unique, fashionable clothing and gift items at reasonable prices. for instance, she carries the usually hard to find Preemie-Yums, clothing for preemies.  she likes to work with local designers who make clothing, jewelry, tutus, hair accessories and more.  some brands found at her boutique include; Kissy Kissy, Angel Dear, Ruffle Butts, Isobella & Chloe, Mud Pie, WubbaNubs, Constructive Eating and much more. Starla tells me how amazingly popular Sophie the Giraffe is.  the unique thing about Sophie is she works with all the senses and is made from the natural rubber tree, Hevea.

Starla has creative ideas that help her business stand apart from others. her baby gift registry is one of a kind.  the items of the registry are presented together in a bassinette or basket so when you go to purchase, you can view everything together. you don’t waste time thinking of a gift or trying to find the item from a registry’s list. it’s like choosing from the dentist’s treasure chest!  there is also beautiful display of Christening gowns and accompanying Christening accessories and gifts.

all in all, you get a feeling of enchantment when you are in Little Lords & Ladies. there are new discoveries around every corner.  i don’t think my words can do the store justice, so i hope my images help you “see” what I’m talking about. all of my Big Shots clients will receive 10% off your entire purchase! please contact me if you would like a coupon.

grab a cup of coffee and take a seat.  it’s finally done and i want you to take it all in!  i mean,  i’ve been going on and on about this new blogsite and here it is!  it’s not perfect but if i wait until everything is JUST so, it will never be done.  so, i’ve decided to launch at 99% “doneness” so that you know i actually really have this blogsite and so i can start posting and using this as i’ve imagined for so long.

what is a blogsite?  it’s a website and blog rolled into one.  i was tired of having my two worlds existing in and looking like two different parts of big shots.  so, i combined them and came up with this.  the possiblities of a blogsite are really endless.  i can have pages for anything and everything.  there’s no need for me to send multiple emails with information cluttering up your inbox when you can now find it here.

so, welcome to my blogsite!  a few tips for getting around: navigation is in the drop down menu at the top of this page to make searching for particular categories or other items super easy and fast. you can use the search feature found on the homepage to find any entry in this blog.  sorry, it does not include my old blog which is permanantly  here. comments are waaaaayyyy easier to add on this blogsite so i want to hear from all of you!  it’s more like a chat than a message so let’s have some fun commenting away!  it makes me feel less lonely in blogworld.  also, please do bookmark this site.  seniors; you’ve got your own site.  click on “seniors” to be taken there where it’s way cool!

i can’t believe it took SEVEN months to get this together. part of it was due to the fact that i took weeks off from working on it at a time and part of it is that i am a perfectionist.  i had this idea or this change and you know what?  it came out JUST as i imagined.  i couldn’t have done it without theresa from blogs for photogs.  she is seriously the most patient woman and talented blog designer on the planet.  we started with nothing but a few small ideas i had and she turned it into this!  there’s a lot here so make sure you check it all out!

and lastly, a big shout out to my husband who runs the back end of my biz and who supported me through this blogsite journey.  he has touched each and every part of this blogsite.  thanks josh!

enjoy your stay and come back often!